A pair years in the past, Jacqui Bell’s world turned darkish. After being affected by accidents, the Australian gymnasium supervisor discovered herself hooked to prescription painkillers. That tipped her right into a vicious cycle of unhealthy consuming behaviors, medicine and despair, she says, and after she received right into a scooter accident in Bali that requires over 200 stitches and racked up large medical payments, the scenario solely deteriorated. All-time low got here after Bell misplaced a job and watched relationships go bitter.
As a substitute of falling deeper, Bell resolved to drag herself out of it, she stated. “Nothing was actually working for me to assist change something, so I knew I simply needed to do one thing form of drastic.
Drastic certainly. Bell signed up for not one, however 4 multi-stage ultramarathons when she entered the Racing the Planets x4 Desert Grand Slam — a grueling collection of multi-stage ultramarathons that take opponents throughout the deserts of Namibia, Mongolia, Chile, and Antarctica.
And what began as 4 expanded into an much more daunting quest when Bell, 24, determined to develop into the youngest individual to finish a multi-stage extremely on every continent, elevating cash for psychological well being causes alongside the best way.
Getting ready for Ultramarathons
Bell admits she went into the endeavor with some naiveté. She had run marathons, however multi-stage ultras are totally different beasts totally. These monster endurance races ship athletes throughout huge distances of round 155 miles over a number of days, with day by day mileage starting from 20 to 60 miles. So as to add to the issue, many occasions are self-supported, which implies opponents carry heavy packs of meals, water, gear, and clothes.
It’s like doing an infinite, energy-sapping run with added weight, then getting up the subsequent day to do it once more. And repeat.
To say the primary couple of occasions had been humbling can be an understatement. Bell bonked, despaired, discovered herself with the mistaken gear, and suffered from accidents. In her first race in Namibia, she stated, she blew her Achilles tendon, suffered from warmth rash and had an enormous breakdown on one notably painful day that took her 19 hours to finish.
Bell working in Iceland.
“I assumed I used to be going to die,” she stated. “I used to be underprepared however everyone seems to be for his or her first one. You simply don’t actually know what you’re doing.”
Regardless of that, she stated, she by no means contemplated quitting.
She went on to slog via snowfields in Antarctica, run via huge tracts of sand in Chile, traverse the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, courageous whipping winds and freezing rain in Iceland and move breathtaking lagunas in New Zealand. Alongside the best way, she received to expertise a number of the most lovely landscapes on Earth.
And in September, a yr and a half after she began, she crossed the ultimate end line on the Grand to Grand extremely within the Grand Canyon. It was a robust efficiency; she was the second lady to complete. Nonetheless, she admits that it was with combined emotions.
“It was superb, however it was additionally form of bittersweet. It was this enormous factor I’ve been working in direction of and the one purpose I’ve had in my life for thus lengthy. It was like all this buildup after which, ah, it’s over,” she stated. “However I’m excited to see what occurs over the subsequent yr or two. Loving working in the intervening time and simply excited to see how a lot sooner and higher I can get at these races.”
And, Bell says, the impacts the occasions have had on her life and psychological wellbeing are larger than any title.
Psychological Well being and Working
The races gave her construction, self-discipline, and targets. And when she was on the market working, unplugged and alone in her head for days and miles, she stated, it allowed her the time and area to digest and kind via her life.
She had her share of challenges; she suffered from painful plantar fasciitis and shin splints, and had her pores and skin rubbed uncooked from chafing. However slowly, she stated, the advantages began stacking up.
Bell on the Gobi March, a multi-stage ultramarathon in Mongolia.
“Working, it helps to place me in a greater headspace to have the ability to cope with the whole lot,” she stated. “I slowly realized issues alongside the best way. The teachings simply come form of in every race.”
In complete, she ran 1800 kilometers — roughly 1120 miles — and raised about $23,000 in Australian dollars for The White Cloud Basis, a company devoted to enhancing entry to therapy for and rising consciousness of despair.
And thru the journey, Bell discovered her goal, which she stated helps her hold her demons at bay. Her recommendation to others affected by psychological well being points? Dream large, and don’t be afraid to chase your passions.
“If you could find that factor that form of even offers you just a little little bit of day by day happiness, or makes you wish to leap away from bed within the morning … then do it,” she stated. “You by no means know what it’d flip into.”
Subsequent up for Bell: extra ultras.
“I actually thought that in any case of this I’d be like, alright I’m completed with working,” she stated. “Nevertheless it’s form of the other.”
Pictures courtesy Jacqui Bell
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